The Andrews Labor Government has released the first ever long-term strategy for better public transport in regional Victoria.
Connecting Regional Victoria – Victoria’s Regional Network Development Plan (RNDP) sets out a blueprint for better train, coach and bus services for Gippsland and across regional Victoria.
The RNDP outlines the series of infrastructure and rolling stock improvements required to deliver commuter-style services to Traralgon, including track upgrades, better signalling and new trains and stabling.
In the long term the goal of the RNDP is to deliver trains at least every 20 minutes in the peak and every 40 minutes off-peak to Traralgon and five services, five days a week to Bairnsdale.
The RNDP also sets the Labor Government’s long term plan to run five services, five days a week to Bairnsdale, and provide more frequent, reliable and coordinated coach and bus connections across Gippsland.
In the short term, passengers in Victoria’s East will benefit from four more train services every day between Melbourne and Traralgon, a better bus network for the La Trobe Valley, and upgraded coach interchanges at Wonthaggi, Leongatha, Anderson and Koo Wee Rup.
Stations along the Gippsland line will be upgraded and extra car parking to meet demand at Morwell, Moe and Traralgon stations will be investigated.
The Labor Government will also provide $100,000 for a new Parkiteer cage at Traralgon Station, and $18,000 for new signage and level crossing treatments at a number of road crossings on the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail.
The RNDP is the product of one of the largest public consultation programs ever carried out in regional Victoria, with nearly 40 workshops held right across the state, gathering more than 15,000 pieces of feedback.
This feedback was critical in the development of the strategy and the recent Victorian Budget 2016/17, which funded more than 170 extra services, 27 new VLocity carriages, and provided nearly $200 million to rebuild V/Line, so it is ready to deliver the huge improvement to public transport set out in the RNDP.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan
“This is the first ever long-term strategy for better public transport in Gippsland, with more services, improved stations and better bus and coach connections, to get where they need to go quickly, reliably and safely.”
“The RNDP is the product of one of the most extensive public consultation programs every carried out in regional Victoria, and I thank everyone in Gippsland who contributed to the development of this ground-breaking plan.”
Quotes attributable to the Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing
“The RNDP ends the ad-hoc approach to public transport planning that has held Gippsland back, setting out a more coordinated network where trains, buses and coaches work together to get people where they need to go.”
Quotes attributable to the Member for Eastern Victoria Daniel Mulino
“The Andrews Labor Government believes in public transport for people in Gippsland and everywhere in Victoria, and is investing the time, energy and funding needed to make it better – now and in the future.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020